KUCHING: A virtual engagement and discussion session was held between the federal Ministry of Finance and the Sarawak Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government leaders on the National Recovery Plan (NRP) late this afternoon with the aim of strengthening the effectiveness of the NRP.
The one-hour session was chaired by Finance Minister Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, who is also the NRP Coordinating Minister.
Sarawak was led by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Also present were Deputy Chief Ministers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing (who is also Parti Rakyat Sarawak president) and Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan, Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Seri Dr Sim Kui Hian (Sarawak United People’s Party president) and Assistant Minister Datuk Dr Penguang Manggil, representing the People’s Democratic party president.
The Sarawak government provided some inputs from Sarawak’s perspective towards strengthening the state’s economy by taking into account the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the state’s contribution to the national economy.
Among the topics touched on by the chief minister, deputy chief ministers and ministers based on their respective portfolios was the vaccination programme in Sarawak which was running smoothly, infrastructure development programme, ICT infrastructure development, manufacturing industry and foreign investments as the core to improve Sarawak’s economy.
Core factors also included the potential of IoT-based agriculture and resource and security-based economics on the very long border between Sarawak and Kalimantan which had a profound impact on the socio-economy of Sarawak.
The discussion also touched on the implementation of the NRP phases that should be adapted to the situation in Sarawak which was almost as big as Malaya.
